Jano, I agree with you-- AMS is the easiest major airport to transit in Europe. Particularly when I transit to a non-Schengen (i.e. non EU) country, it is great because I never go through passport controls, the U.S. plane arrives/departs in the same area as my connection.

As everyone else has posted...some of the D pier is in the non-schengen zone and some is in the schengen-zone.

PRG is a non-schengen zone flight so you will not traverse passport control in AMS from the US to Prague and vice versa.

Remember, however, that all US-bound flights have extra security screening at the gate. You will not want to dilly-dally around duty free shops at AMS when you get off the PRG flight. By the time you get to the gate for your US flight, they will have already boarded half the plane and the other half will probably be waiting to get screened.

-RM

that's what i'm worried about given that i already look like a suspicious critter. ;) no seriously, aren't US-bound planes required to have their passengers on board at least 30 mins prior to departure? not that i mind hanging about in AMS for a few extra hours/days, but even a short delay could really screw this one up.

I would have a contingency plan in place. If I can't afford a missed connection I would book a later connection for piece of mind.

Most likely I would simply print out the list of options and bring it with me. Then if I missed I will be prepared --> I missed the last flight out, get a room at the Hilton and be prepared to fly out the next day, otherwise I would have the list of SkyTeam flights that could get me to my destination and I would be fully prepared to work with NW/KLM in AMS to get me on the best one.

I've done the 60 minute connections for non-Schengen and it's not that bad. Of course, if you get seriously delayed, you'll miss a flight, but that can happen with a long connection as well.

As others have said, definitely know your options -- that should be a mantra for every flight :)

Steve

I had a 50-minute connection at AMS last week which involved going through passport control (moving from D to E). My AMS-DTW aircraft was boarding when I arrived at the gate and the overhead bins were full, but I made the flight without an inordinate amount of difficulty. Would I book it again? Probably, though I would prefer a little more time between flights.

I am doing a series of MR's ($245.00 Fare B Mistake) from LCA-GEG and back. On one of the return flight to GEG from LCA, there is I availibility from AMS-MEM (Aug 10th) It looks like it would leave me with a 50 Min Connection from LCA-AMS-MEM. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm not sure which gates CY uses.

Other question is..... is AMS-MEM still going to be a DC-10 in Aug? Not sure if WBC is worth the bother in a DC10. Otherwise I would be in Y on the AMS-MSP flight leaving an hour later.

The direct AMS-MEM flight is on DC-10 until Dec 1 when they switch to an Airbus 330 for the direct flight. For sure go for WBC even though it looks like it can be tight. If you are in WBC you go to the front of the line when you get to the gate.

US->Schengen different than return
 

If memory serves, there is no passport control needed connecting in AMS ***to*** the US.

At the NW gate for US-bound flight, the security line has a shortcut for elite, but it is not always clearly signposted, and certainly not visible from the back of the queue.

AMS Connection - Security?
 

I'm travelling DTW-AMS-BGO. If I buy a bottle of liquor from the on board duty free, will there be a security checkpoint during the AMS transfer where I'll be required to surrender the bottle of liquid?

I believe only the UK and US have announced such restrictions, unless you've heard otherwise...

(Poor Oneworld passengers!)

From AMS' website:

Security measures at UK airportsHope this helps.

If so you can always drink it! :D
and arrive in Norway blitzed! :D

I flew VCE-AMS-HAM today and fluids were not an issue in Itay or Holland (though in VCE they were handing out clear plastic bags for the wallets and other tiny permissables of UK-bound travellers). In AMS I went through baggage claim to the outside terminal area and picked up a few of the ever-burgeoning Belgian beers stocked at the wonderful Food Village grocery (Orval, Hoegaarden Grand Cru, Rochefort 8 & 10, Karmeliet Tripel, to name some). There was virtually no queue for security re-entering the B/C concourse area which went very quickly, and the image of all the bottles in my backpack on the X-ray machine was very pretty indeed.

KL's rules:

Security advice for passengers flying from the United Kingdom

KLM and NWA acting on instructions from the UK government, wishes to advise passengers on the following Cabin Baggage restrictions effective August 10, 2006.

Following items may not be carried on board (and must be checked in):

No handbags
No carry-on baggage
No liquids or gels are permitted (including beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gel etc.)
No mobile phones
No laptop computers
No iPods
No other electrical/battery powered itemsform unless verified as authentic

Following items may be carried on board:

Travel documents essential for the journey (eg passports, tickets and visas)
Pocket size wallets and purses plus contents (money, credit cards and identity cards)
Prescribed medicines essential for the flight, (except in liquid form unless verified as authentic)
Insulin and essential other non-prescription medicines
Spectacles and sunglasses (without cases)
Contact lenses, (without bottles of solution)
For those traveling with an infant: baby food, milk and sanitary items essential for the flight
Keys (but no electrical fobs)

Security advice for passengers flying to and from the USA and departing flights from Canada

KLM and NWA acting on instructions from the US government and Transport Canada, wishes to advise passengers on the following Cabin Baggage restrictions effective August 10, 2006.

Following items may not be carried on board (and must be checked in):

Liquids and gels (including beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gel etc.)

Following items may be carried on board:

Prescribed liquid medicines essential for the flight (if verified as authentic)
Insulin and essential other non-prescription medicines
For those traveling with an infant: baby food, milk and sanitary items essential for the flight

KLM and NWA encourage customers to allow additional time before their flight.
Customers traveling are encouraged to arrive at the airport three hours prior to departure.
Customers should also expect to be asked to remove all shoes at security checkpoints.

Customers not complying with the above can not be accepted for travel on KLM and NWA flights. KLM regrets any inconvenience caused.

Johan